Speaking prior to Sunderland’s decision to lift Johnson’s ban, Downing said: “They’re missing Adam Johnson obviously, which is a big boost for us because he’s probably their best player.

“Steven Fletcher on his day is a goalscorer, Connor Wickham is also a handful. Other than that we’re pretty strong and we’ve got goalscorers of our own in the team.”

Downing – who made seven appearances for Sunderland on loan from the Teessiders in 2003, scoring three goals – added: “We should have beaten (Sunderland) when we played them at their place (in December, when the two teams drew 1-1).

“Our own form has been quite good recently. We have to start well and if we play like we did in the second half against Chelsea, we’ll win.”

That 1-0 home defeat to the Blues at the beginning of March forms part of an eight-game winless run in all competitions for West Ham, seven of them in the league.

Sunderland’s form is similar; without a win in seven in any format, they have a single league victory in 2015. They travel to the Boleyn Ground with a new head coach in Dick Advocaat, after he replaced Gus Poyet on Tuesday, less than 24 hours after the Uruguayan was sacked in the wake of last Saturday’s 4-0 defeat by fellow strugglers Aston Villa at the Stadium of Light.

That left them just one place and one point above the relegation zone.

But former Dutch international defender Arthur Numan has likened Advocaat to Manchester United manager Louis Van Gaal, and insists he will do “anything to get a result”.

Numan played under the Black Cats’ new head coach for Holland and Glasgow Rangers.

“Dick will demand a good work ethic, attitude and mentality every training session,” said Numan.

“If he thinks you are not giving 100 per cent in training he will let you know. He is so involved in training.